Tag Archives: Early AM (5am-7am)

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

South Chesterfield, VA – Boiler room explosion caused fire contained by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Chesterfield County Fire and EMS responded to an explosion at Fiorucci Foods’ processing plant near Ruffin Mill Road early Friday morning. About 50 firefighters, including six engines and three ladder trucks with supervisors and medics responded to a call at 5:41 a.m.

The Fiorucci brand makes Italian lunch meats like Coppa, Salami and Prosciutto.

The explosion occurred inside a compressor for one of the facility’s boilers. Shifts were already at work during the incident, but no injuries were recorded. The boiler room is made with blast doors to protect against an incident of this kind.

“These blast doors are made with a purpose for these situations so that if anything does happen, these will open up and the force will go upward, as opposed to outward,” said Lt. Jason Elmore of Chesterfield County Fire and EMS.

Damage was limited to the blast doors and the boiler itself.

“They’re going to have to repair that area in there to get that part of the process back open,” Elmore said. “They were working today on utilizing some of their other coolers and refrigerants to get as much accomplished as possible.”

Chesterfield County crews spent the morning clearing the factory of smoke before staff could be let back in. The building was returned to the occupant around lunchtime.

“The one good thing is these blast doors operated so there could have been more damage,” Elmore said. “The force would have been outward instead of upward. Also, the sprinkler system activated and contained the fire that was in the boiler room … That’s what they’re designed to do and that’s what happened.”

The Department of Agriculture will have to be consulted for safety and cleanliness before the area can reopen. Elmore said he expects the facility to be closed for “at least a 24 hour period, if not longer.”

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Pasco, WA – Vending machine fire at US Post Office put out by fire sprinkler; No injuries reported

 Postal workers were forced to evacuate the US Post Office in Pasco after a soda machine fire.

It ignited around 6:15 Saturday morning near Court Street and Road 36. According to Pasco Fire Chief Bob Gear, they believe the origin of the blaze was the Coca-Cola machine.

The fire was contained to the break room. However, smoke traveled through the building, causing the evacuation. Gear said the sprinkler system put out the fire.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

KAPP-KVEW spoke with a long-time postal worker who said mail could be delayed by a day. Gear said no mail was damaged.

It’s unclear when employees will be able to go back inside. Firefighters are ventilating the building. Walla Walla County District 5 responded due to the need for large fans to help ventilate the building quicker. 

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Annaville, TX – Motel room fire contained to one room thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Fire investigators are looking into what started a fire in a motel room.

According to Robin McGill with the Corpus Christi Fire Department, the fire started around 5:30 a.m. on a bed at the Motel 6 on the 6300 block of Interstate 37 and Valero Way.

Luckily, the fire set off the sprinklers in the room. The sprinklers kept the fire contained to one room and put out the flames before they could spread to other rooms.

No one was injured.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Naperville, IL – Vending machine fire contained to room of origin by fire sprinkler head; No injuries reported

At 5:20 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received a call for smoke inside a commercial building in the 400 block of Fort Hill Drive at which time a full-still response was dispatched. Immediately after the initial 911 call, PSAP received an automatic fire alarm for this address as well. The alarm was quickly upgraded to a general alarm assignment after a 911 call from within the building reporting a fire. The general alarm brought 10 pieces of fire apparatus and 24 fire personnel to the scene. Initial units arrived on scene within five minutes, reported nothing showing from the exterior of the building and confirmed that all occupants were out of the structure.

Fire crews gained entry through the employee entrance and upon investigation, found a fire in a vending machine. There was a sprinkler head directly over the vending machine, which kept the fire in the room of origin. Fire companies extinguished the fire with a hose line and once fire was out, the sprinkler system was shut down. Other companies performed ventilation operations, water removal and salvage and overhaul.

The fire was considered accidental in nature. Building management was on the scene and took possession of the building. The Naperville Fire Department credits the presence of automatic fire sprinklers and the building’s fire alarm system for the quick notification and extinguishment of the fire. These systems played a significant role in the positive outcome and minimal disruption of business.

The Naperville Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Naperville Police Department, Aurora Fire Department engine company and fan boat, which was utilized to evacuate smoke from the large warehouse. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians. Station coverage was provided by Warrenville Fire Protection District.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Ellensburg, WA – Automatic fire sprinklers extinguish fire at hay press caused by faulty light fixture; No injuries reported

An automatic fire sprinkler system helped save a hay press building near Ellensburg, according to a news release from Kittitas County Community Development Services.

At 6:46 Thursday morning, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue was dispatched to a commercial fire alarm at No. 9 Hay on Hungry Junction Road. The alarm company reported fire alarm activation with waterflow and sprinkler fire pump activation.

Several minutes later, a caller at the location notified Kittcom 911 that there was a confirmed fire in a hay press building.

Firefighters arrived to find a fire contained to a small area of the building near a mechanical room and quickly suppressed the fire.

The automatic fire sprinkler system was commissioned and put into service at the end of March of this year by the Kittitas County Fire Marshal. The sprinkler system and a new fire alarm system were installed secondary to the addition of a new press building at the facility

A fire began in a faulty light fixture in a mechanical room that quickly spread and activated three sprinkler heads at the ceiling of the steel building. The sprinkler system performed as it was intended and suppressed the fire, containing it to the area of origin until firefighters arrived to extinguish the fire.

The building suffered minimal damage. There are no reported injuries and work is underway to restore the facility to full operation soon.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Simi Valley, CA – Chemical fire at warehouse contained by fire sprinkler system

A large chemical fire in an industrial building in Simi Valley that sent plumes of smoke into the sky early Tuesday has been contained, fire officials said.

Ventura County fire crews received a report of a hazardous material emergency at a warehouse in the 100 block of Cochran Street near Madera Road about 6:15 a.m. Inside the building, 75-gallon drums filled with nitric acid were burning, sending up thick, dark smoke, said Capt. Anthony Romero.

People in neighboring businesses and homes were told to stay indoors as dozens of firefighters attacked the blaze from the outside of the building to keep the fire from spreading. The fire activated the sprinkler system inside the warehouse, Romero said.

At 9:45 a.m., fire officials said that the blaze had been contained and that firefighters would remain at the scene to deal with hazardous materials. Evacuation orders were lifted two hours later, and local businesses were allowed to reopen, although officials said a slight irritant smell may linger for the rest of the day.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Los Angeles, CA – Sprinkler system contains fire at three-story commercial building; No injuries reported

Firefighters Sunday knocked down a fire in a room on the second floor of a three-story commercial building in South Los Angeles that was also held in check by the structure’s sprinkler system.

Five people were also escorted from the basement of the building at 901 E. 31st St., said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Firefighters dispatched at 5:10 a.m. to 901 E. 31st St. had the fire out within 26 minutes of their arrival, Stewart said.

No injuries were reported and a cause of the fire was under investigation.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Naperville, IL – Vending machine fire contained by single fire sprinkler; No injuries reported

A vending machine caught fire early Saturday inside a Naperville warehouse, but was quickly extinguished, authorities said.

Some two dozen firefighters responded to the commercial building on the 400 block of Fort Hill Drive at 5:20 a.m. after receiving a 911 call, as well as automatic notification from the building’s fire alarm system, according to a news release.

Firefighters arrived within five minutes, seeing nothing on the building’s exterior, but when they went inside, they found fire coming from the vending machine. A sprinkler head directly over the machine contained the fire to that room, and with a single hose line, crews were able to extinguish it, the release stated.

All occupants of the building were outside by the time firefighters arrived, and no injuries were reported.

Fire crews spent the morning removing water, using a fan boat to evacuate smoke from the building, and conducting salvage and overhaul.

Fire officials say the fire is accidental in nature.

Other - Retail, Retail

Canton, MI – Sprinkler system puts out fire due to a recliner chair catching on fire

It’s back to business for the Art Van Furniture’s Canton location, which kept its doors shut over the weekend because of a small fire.

The Ford Road doors reopened today after two days of cleanup work.

Store personnel declined comment. They learned Saturday morning a recliner with electrical components had combusted.

Fire Chief Chris Stoecklein said firefighters were dispatched to an alarm at the store around 5 a.m. Saturday

Upon arrival, they saw some light smoke inside the building. They made a forced entry and discovered a sprinkler system had put out the fire.

They worked on mitigating the smoke damage and turning off the sprinkler system.

Stoecklein said the small blaze was probably an electrical fire, causing about $30,000 in damage to the recliner and its surroundings.

Art Van’s Canton store opened in early 2018. It was the first completely new store the furniture business built in 20 years.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Enfield, CT – Hotel dryer fire contained by fire sprinkler activation; No injuries reported

Early Friday morning, crews responded to the Hampton Inn at 20 Phoenix Ave., for a fire in a laundry room. Firefighters from Shaker Pines, Hazardville, North Thompsonville and Thompsonville responded to the scene, Richards said.

“Crews encountered flames in a commercial laundry dryer. The fire spread outside the machine, causing the activation of the automatic sprinkler system, which contained the fire,” Richards said.

The inn was evacuated while crews removed smoke from the five-story building. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.